Automobile body



1 $15 177 Jan 1927" J. LEDWENKA AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed Feb. 5, 1922 I NV EN TOR.

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18 1927' I J. LEDWINKA AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed Feb. 5, 1922 4 Shana-Shut 2 IINVENTOR.

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Jan. 18, 1927, J LEDWZNKA AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed Feb. 3. 1.922

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T JasEPg LED ATTORNEY.

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?atented Jan. 18, 1927,

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JOSEPH LEDWIIQKA, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNfilYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO EDWARD G.

IOBATIOH 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMOBILE BODY.

' Application filed February 3, 1922. Serial No. 533,846.

This invention relatesto improvements in automobile bodies and, more particularly, to im rovements on the invention described and c aimed in my pending application for Letters Patent for automobile bodies, Serial No. 506,121, filed October 7, 1921, to which application cross-reference is hereby made.

At the present time, there are two types of automobile bodies in use, known as the I" coinposite'body and the all-metal body, rc-

.spectively. The composite body compr ses a wooden,'supporting framework, including sills, seat supports and vertically-extending door posts to which the metal sheets, form ing' the body shell, are tacked. This form of body has certain advantages for use where the production is small, inasmuch as the cost of the necessary dies is relatively small. The all-metal body, on the other hand, consists of a skeleton frame formed of metallic stampings, integrally secured together and applied and integrally secured to curved, sheet metal panels forming the body shell, so as to reinforce said panels and tie them together. This type of body has many advantages over the composite type, but the cost of the dies necessary to produce it is relatively large. I

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a touring car body for automobiles, which combines thl'; low die cost of acoinp'osite body with many of the advantages of an all-metal body, inasmuch as the wooden framework is made very simple and all-metal body units, such as cowl, front seat and tonneau units, are mounted upon or secured to-this Wooden I:tjralm'e vork to form the complete touring car 0 3 A hother object of my present invention is to provide a touring car body for automobiles com rising a simple, woodenunderframe an all-metal cowl, front seat and tonneau units rigidly secured thereto, each i of said units including metal doorposts. I

Another object of my resent invention is to provide an automobi e bo'dy construction in which cowl, front seatland tonneeu units, each of said units comprising a body shell panelreinforced by metallic stifi'enin members so as to be self-supporting and'sel sustaining, are ,rigidly mounted on a wooden underframe.

In many motor vehicles, chassis teams cient-ly.

is elevated at its rear end, Where it passes over the rear axle. This elevated rear portion of the frame is known as the kick-up. The sills of the automobile body are applied to and secured to the chassis frame, and, consequently, the body sills have to be provided with a kick-up corresponding to the kick-up of the chassis frame. In prior automobile bodies using wooden sills, this kickazp has added very greatly to the cost of the body, sills, inasmuch as'it adds to the waste .of lumber in making the sills and also requires skillful carpenter work.

A further object of m present invention is to provide an automo ile body construction, for bodies having a kick-up at the rear end thereof, in which the wooden body sills are straight and the kick-up is formed in the tonneau unit which is rigidly secured to the rear ends of the straight wooden sills.

Another object of my present invention is to provide an automobile body construction having a wooden umlerframe, on which the cowl and front seat units are mounted, and a tonneau unit, provided with a metal framework including tonneau sills, connected to the rear ends of the wooden underframe so as to simplify the construction of the Wooden undertrame and lessen the cost thereof and of the body.

A. further object of my invention is to pro-- vide an automobile body construction in which the rear seat is so supported as tolo'vv er the center of gravity of the loaded car,

in other-words, a body construction in which I the rear seat is so supported and fastened in the tonneau that it is positioned lowerin the tonneau than in the case of bodies known heretofore. a

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved automobile body con struction, which is strong and durable and may be produced. economically and elii Further objects, and objects relatin to details and'economies of construction an operation, will definitely appear from. thede tailed description to follow. stance, l accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. My invention in oneinis clearly defined and pointed out-in the appended claims. A structure constituting a illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which.

Fig.1 is a [view inside elevation of a ,trbhdy constructed inaccoi dancewith my in vention. v Fig. 2 isa vertical, longitudinal, sectional Eiew through. the forward portion of the 3 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view throughthe rear portion of the body.

Fig. 4 1s a a vertical, transverse view through the body, taken on the line 4-4 of Fi 2. v, I %ig. 5.- is, a fragmentary, sectional View through one side of the front seat unit, taken on the -line5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal, transverse view through the .cowl'unit, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view through the forward portion ot" the cowl unit, taken on the line '77 of Fig.2.

Fig. 8 is a .detaih-sectiojnal yiew through the door post at amnes aage of the front door opening,.-taken-hnthe Iine 8-8 of Fi'Q/p p 7 fig. 9 is a detail, sectional view the upper edge of the sidepanel of the front seat unit, taken in the line-9 1 9 of Fig.2.,aand,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, sectiqnahylew through one side of the ,tonneau-j on the line 10-10'of Fig. 3. ,L i

In the drawings, th'e same reference na- 55 morals refer to identical parts throughout the several views and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the'arrows at the ends,of the section lines.

The cowl unit may include a cowl panel 40 pressed to the desired curvature. to form the portion of the body shell in front of the front "door openings and reinforced by various'cross panels and metallic stifieningbars or angle members forming front door. posts, so as to constitute a self-sustaining unit. The front seat unit may include a vpanel, or panels, pressed to the desired curvature to form the sides and back of the front seat and reinforced by various (Toss panels and by yertical, reinforcing bars or angle members forming door posts,

so that the front seatunit constitutes a selfsustainingunit which is rigidly secured to and mounted on the wooden underframc. l he tonneau unit nia v' include a tonncau panel curved to fornnihe rear portion oi the body shell and reinforced by atonucau frame ii lc-luding toiineau sills and a rear cro ineinbeim Thetonneau unit may'also be reinforced by, suitable reinforcing bars, iawangle members secured tothe tonneau panel and forming t-herear door posts for I the rear door openings. This'tonneau unit forms a sel -sustaining,all-metal unit which is rigidly connected to the rear end of the the front seat.

side portions, 18, forming the Wheel-hous- -longitudinally-extendiug the forward ends of these tonneau sills may 7 .be rigidly connected to the rear ends of the wooden bod sills In accor ance with another feature of my invention, the'tonneau sills and crossmembers may be formed of angle members having a lower, horizontal flange to which the supporting structure for the rear seat may be secured. This construction permits the rear seat to be supported from points substantially in line'wit'h the lower edges of the tonnea-u sills rather than from points substantially in line with the upper edges of the-tonneau sills and cross member, as has been the practice heretofore. This results in a lowering of the rear seat, with reference to the tonneau, by a distance equal to the height of such tonneau sills and cross members, resulting in a lowered center of gravity for the loaded car, so that the automobile. is easier toride in. and does not tend to sway from side to side; v

Referring to the numbered parts ,of. the drawing in which I have illustratedat'ouringcar odywhich constitutes one embodiment of my invention, it will be seen that the tourin car body illustrated comprises a italren powl pane, '10, atonneau panel, 11', side panels, 12, front-doors, l3, and rear doors, 14. There is also an arched panel,17,'which connects the side panels, 12, at the back of Sill covers, 15 and 15,001 stitute those portions of the body shell beneath the front and rear door openings The tonneau panel, 11, has inwardly-pressed 1 ings, portions of said wheelhousin 5 being pressed into single planes, formingt re plane surfaces, 18, for the'purposes presently to be described. i The body is provided with a wooden underframe to which the several all-mctal body units are. rigidly connected. This wooden under-frame is made up of a pair of body .sills, 1!), which are connected 'by the several cross incmbers, 20,21 and 22. The ClOS$lIl9l11- bers, 20, may also support the front seat, and the cross-members, 22, may serve as. a part of the tonncau flgoor. The sills, 19, have til? ledges, 41, formdyl therein toreceive the ends of removable floor boards, (not shown). j

The cowl unit comprises a cowl panel, 10,, which is arched andformed into the desired ,curvature to constitute that portion of the body shell in front of the front door opcn-- ing. The forward edge portions of the cowl panel are bent laterally, forming the inwardly-extending flange, 23, to which the flange, 23, on the edge of a. shroud. pan, 24,

is rigidly secured by welding or otherwise.

cab-- This shroud pan, :24, constitutes a reinforcing panel or cross-member, extending across and strengthening the forward portion of the cowhunit, and-the bod portionof the shroud pan is ofl'set from he flange, 23, so as to provide a stiffening, channel formation at the forward portions of the cowl unit.

The central portion of the shroud pan may be cut away to form a recess therein, through which the steering column and other connections for the motor extend, and )rovided with a roar inal flange, 5, surroun ing this o ening, w ich merges, at 2:3, intothc 'ine med surface shown in Fig. 2 of the drawmg. .fBrackcts, 26, are rigidly secured to the forward ends of the bod sills, 19, end to the shroud pan, 24, (m Figs. 2 and 7 Bear edge portions of the cowl panel,- 10. are flan ed inwardly and the door posts, 27, are rigi secured by welding or,otherwise to said tihnge, Those door posts are channelshaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 6,

anadc. Auinstrument board, 30, is rigidly secured to this member, 28, as shown in Fig. 2. The cowl unit is also reinforced by the v brackets, 31, extending between the shroud pan, 24:, and the door posts, 27, and also providing supporting meansfor t-hewindshield stanchions, (not shown). This feature of my invention is described and claimed in my pendingapplicat-ion for Letters Patent for steel bodies for automobiles, Serial -No.

' 336,059, filed November 6, 1919, to which a plication cross-reference is herch nun. c. The cowl unit is also reinforced by he transverse panel, 32, having a downwardlyeexlcnding flu ngc, 33, at its forward edge, which is rigidly secured, by Welding or otherwise, to the shroud pun, 24. T he rear edge portion of this panel, 32, is folded'upon itself to "form a groove, 35, which receives, the flange, 36, on the lower edgev of the instrument board paneLBO. Brackets, 37, are rigidly secures posts, 27, of the cowl unit; The cowl panel, 10, has its lower edge portions bent inwardly, forming the flanges, 38, which are ap lied and secured to the lower surfaces 0 v the body sills, 19. It will be observed that the cowl panel is so reinforced and strengthenedby the various cross members or panels and .by the door posts, as to form a rigid, selfsustaining unit, which unit is mounted on or Secured to the forward end or the wooden .forward edge portions-ofwhich are turned the lower su faces of the sills,'19. to the body sills, 19, and tothe door underframe, by the brackets, ZS andBT.

Angle members, 42, are secured within the cowl in an inclined position the forward and upper ends of said members being secured to the shroud pan, 24, while the lower or rear ends are rigidly connected to the body sills, 19. These angle llllfll'lliel'fi form supports for the toe-boards.

The sill covers, 15, beneath the front door openings, are provided with flanges, 39 and 40, applied and secured to the lower and upper surfaces, respectively, of the body sills, 19. The front seat unit comprises the side panels, 12, one at each side of the body, the

inwardly forming the flanges-45, to which the angle members, 43, are rigidly secured by welding or otherwise, constituting the door posts at the rear edges of the front door openings. The'upper portions of these angle members, 43, are provided with rearwardlyextending flanges, .44, ving the door post a channel section, as shown in Fig. 8. The

side panels and door posts are connected by the transversely-extending heelhoard panel, 46, wh'ieh is curved to provide the forward, transverse ortion and the rearwardly-ex, tending, si 0 portions which are secured to the lower parts of the door posts, 43. A.

flange, 47, at the lower edge of the heelas board anel, is rigidly connected to the sills, 19, an the cross member, 20, upon which it rests. The upper edge of the transverse portion of the heel board is formed with a forwardly-extending flange, 48, to which the transverse portion ofthe cushion retainer, 49, is secured. This cushion retainer is curved to correspond to the heel-hoard and the rear ends thereof are secured to the door posts, 43. The side seat supports, 50, are scecured to the side portions of the heel board, 46, and extend rearwardly therefrom to the seat back panel, 61*, which will be described presentl 'lhcse'side seat supports, 50, each have a aterally-extending ledge, 51, which support the cover for the compartment beneeth thef'fiont seat. Across rail, 52, is secured to a portion of the seat back panel, 61, and extends between the rear ends of the side seat supports, 50, as shown in Fig. 11

2. The lower edge portions of the side panels, 12, are bent inwardly, forming the flanges, 53, :glnch are applied and secured to The uppe ,edg portions of the side panels, 12, are flan ed inwardly, as shown in Fig.

9. and garnish rails, 54, are secured thereto.

T 1e upper rear portions of the side panels, 12, are connected by the cross panel or mcm-' her, 17, which is curved to form the'rear upper (portion of the front seat-hack. The forwar edge of this cross 'panel,..17, is formed with a downwardly extending flange, 56,

which is curved to form a continuation ohthe IUU . g arnis h rails, 54,- The reereglge portion of 13s the cross panel, 17', is also provided with a. klownwardly-extending flange, 57. This cross member,- 17, also has inwardly extending flanges, 58, which merge into fian ee formed on the rear edge portions of the side panels, 12, corresponding to the flanges, 45. The door posts at the front edges of the rear door openings are formed by Z-shaped members, 5?, having laterally-extending flanges at their rear edges secured to the said flange on the rear edge portions of the side panels, (see Fig. 5) and inwardly-extending flanges on the inclined forward edges thereoff Brackets, 60, are secured to the sills, 19, and also to the lower ends of the door posts, 5g), asshown in Figs. Qand 5.

The back of the front seat is formed by a panel, 61. the central portion of which is curved, forwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, while the upper portion, 63, issubstantially vertical and'te-rminates in; the flange,62, secured.

to the cross panel. 17. The lower portion of this panel, 61, is inclined forwardly,at

the seat cushion.

64, so as. to, form a continuation of the side seatsupports, 50, andsupport the rear end of From the forward edge of this portion, 64, the seat back panel exshown in Fig. 2.

tends downwardly, at65, terminating inthe flange, 66, at its lower edge, the ends of which flange ,rest upon the ledges, 41, of the sills, 19. A transverse panel, 67, forming' a part of the floor of the body, is supported by the flange,66, and by-the ledges,

41, of the sills, as shownin Fig. 2. The feet,

r or ears, 68, are pressed forwardly from the portion, 65, otthe seat back panel, 61, and

are secured to the .cross members, 20,95 The forward curved-in portion of the panel, 61, forming the back of the front seat, afiords a space in the rear thereof for the storing of auxiliary folding.

seats. This seat storage space is partitioned oil bymeans of the verticalpartitions, 69, which rest (in the panel, 67, with their rear edges substantially in line with the portion, 63,- of the seatback panel, (see Fg. 2). The partitions, 69, at the outside of the body, are

connected by the filler pieces, (39, with the forward flanges of the door posts, 59, as shown in Fig. 5-. The portion, '64, of the seat back panel, forming the support for the rear end of the seat cushion, is reinforced by the flanged plates, 70, posit oned between it and the'panel. 67, in line with the partitions, 69, as shown in Fig. 2-. The two innermost partitions, 69, may be connected by a filler member, 71. as shown in Fig. 4. The

, sill'covers, 16,v forming that portion of the body shell beneath the rear door openings,

are provided with the inwardly-extending flanes, 72 and '73. which are a ilied and sea c Pl cured to the upper and lower surfaces, re-

. spectively, of the body sills, 19.

The tonneau unit is rigidly connected .to the rear end of the wooden under-frame and .its upper edge.

'panel and a lower flange of the tonneau. frame, by

which means I lower the center of gravity of the loaded body Very.materially, since the rear seat cushion is positioned lower in the tonneau than has been customary here totor'e. Referring to Figs. 3-and 10 of the drawings, the tonneau panel, 11, which, as I have stated, is curved to form the rear portion of the body shell and is provided with the inwardly-pressed wheelhousings, 18, has a laterally-extending flange, 74,"at This flange} is curved to conform to the curvature of the tonneau cured thereto by'welding or otherwise. The tonneau frame comprises a rear cross member, 76, and a pair of tonneau side sills, 77

the latter being curved downwardly, at.78, so that the rear portions of said side. sills lie in. a horizontal lane above the forward portions thereof, t us giving the' desired lklCk-UI) at therear portion of the body. The tonneau side sills and rear cross member, 76,,are formed from metallic angle members, as shown, having horizontal].

lower edge portions-ofthe tonneau panel, 11, are pressed inwardly, forming the flange,

-7 9, which eiitends beneath'and is rigidly-so cured by welding or otherwise to the lower arnis'h rail, 75, is rigidly seextending flanges-at theirloweredg es; T e

flanges of the tonneau side sills,' 7 7, and" the rear cross member, 76. The forward endiof the vertical flange of each of the side sills, 77, is curved laterally at 81 andsecured to the wheelhonsing, 18, as shown in Fig. 10, and the forward portion of the horizontal flange of the side. sill extends beneath the rear cross nie1nber,;21, of the wooden underframe and is rigidlyseeured thereto and to the rearend of the \body sill, 19, lying in a recess, 80, formed in the latter. The forward edge portions of the tonneau panel. are bent 1aterally,at F84, and a door post, 82, is secured thereto ,b welding or otherwise. This door post 15 preferably channel-shaped in cross section and the lower portion thereof isbent forwardly, at-

83, roughly paralleling the curve of the forf ward. portion ofthe 'wheelhoiising, asappears from Fig. 3. The forward portions of the tonneau unit are reinforced by the ine.

d. A body structure for automobiles comprising a pair of longitudinally-extending wooden body sills and a pair of metal sill members rigidly connected to therear ends of said body sills and oliset'upwardly so that their rear ends lie in a plane above the body sills, a cowl panel rigidl secured to the forward ends of said WOOL en body sills and a tonneau panel rigidly secured to said metal sill members.

- A body structure for automobiles comprising a pair of longitudinally-extending ofsaid body sills and rigidly connected to the rearends thereof, saidsill members be ingoifset upwardly, door posts" rigidly secured to said sills, and a. body shell including sheet metal panels curved to conform to the curvature of the body and applied externally andrrigidly secured to said skeleton frame. v

I 7. In a body structure for automobiles, a tonneau panel curved to form the rear portion of the body shell, the side portions of said panel being pressed inwardly to form the wheelhousings parts of which are formed so as-to lie in a-single plane, providing vertical plane surfaces extending longitudinally of the body, a metal framework reinforcin the lower portion of said tonneau panel an secured thereto, and seat supports carried by said framework and secured thereto and to the plane surfaces of said Wheelhousings.

8; A body structure for automobiles comprising a pair of longitudinally extending wooden body sills and a pair of metal sill members rigidly connected to the rear ends of said body sills and'olfset upwardly so that their rear ends lie in a plane above the body sills, a rear cross member connecting the rear endsof said metal sill'members, said metal sill members and cross member being of angular cross section having horizontal flanges at their lower edges, a cow-l panel rigidly secured to the forward ends of said wooden body sills, a tonneaupanel having its lower portions rigidly secured to said metal sill members and cross member, a heel-board panel resting on and secured to the horizontal flanges of said metal sill members, the lower'portion of said heelboard panel extending forwardly forming noisier a part of the tonneau floor, and a seat pan having its forward edge supported by said heel-board panel and its rear, edge seating said rear cross member.

. 9.- In an'automobile body structplre, a tonon and secured to" the horizontal flange of new section having panels formed to constitute the wheel housings of curvilinear section, portions of sa1d curvilinear walls 'struck'to-plane form, and seat-supporting said tonneau unit bein 'upon said wooden body sills.

mounted as a whole ll. luau automobile body struc'ture,an

independently assembled cowl unit including a cowl panel arched and formed into the desired curvature, a shroud pan secured to llll the forward edges of said cowl panel, and

a reinforcing panel extending transversely of said cowl and supported at its forward edge by said shroud an.

12. In an automo ile body structure, an independently assembled cowl unit including a cowl panel arched and formed into the desired curvature, a shroud pan secured to the forward edge of said cowl panel, an instrument board secured to the transversely extending rear edge of said cowl panel, and a panel spaced from the top of said cowl panel and secured at its forward and rear edges, respectively, to. said shroud pan and said instrument board.

13. In an automobile body structure a front seat back assembly including a pair of side panels having garnish rails secured thereto, and a cross panel connecting said side panels, said cross panel being curved to form the rear upper portion of said seat back, and having a downwardly extending flange at 'its forward edge curved t6 form continuations of said garnish rails.

14. In an automobile body structure, a front seat back assembly including a pair of side panels, a horizontal panel extending transversely of the bodyand interconnect-- ing said side panels, and a substantially vr tic-ally disposed panel constituting the seat back proper, said latter panel being secured at its upper edgeto the lower surface of said transversely extending anel.

15. In an automobile b0 y structure, a

pair of longitudinally extending sills, a sheet metal panel interconnecting said'sills, a secand sheet metal panel forming the support for the rear end of a seat cushion, mounted upon and secured to said first mentioned 4. panel, and a flanged plate vertically positioned between said panels whereby to re- I inforce said seat supporting panel.

' 16. In an automobile body structure, a

5 pair of longitudinally extending sills, a pair of side panels mounted upon said sills,

transversely extending panels respectively,

interconnectin said pairs of side panels and sills and a substantially vertically inclined 10 panel secured at its upper and lower edges to said transversely extending panels.

17. In an automobile body structure, a front seat assembly including a pair of side TIL.

panels having inwardly turned flanges at the rear vertical edges thereof, Z-shaped JOSEPH LEDWINKA. 

